This invention is concerned with a system for logging authorised detonator usage, with a view to monitoring theft of detonators by terrorist or criminal organisations.
The authorised use of explosives is well known in quarries, and other environments in which the splitting-up and separation of a rock mass is required e.g. in tunnelling, and in the past, the use of explosives and detonators at such sites has not been as secure as it should be, so that criminal and terrorist gangs have regarded such sites as an easy source of detonators and explosives.
However, although security at sites is now much improved, it is still a recognised fact that explosive material, and particularly detonators can still end up in the wrong hands. Furthermore, since explosive mixtures can quite readily be derived from entirely innocent sources e.g. fertilizers (and which cannot easily be controlled), this makes it particularly important to control the storage, and usage of detonators which might be used to detonate “home made” explosive mixtures which tend to be used by some terrorist organisations.
Modern day detonators are becoming increasingly sophisticated in design and operation i.e. so-called electronic detonators, and in an authorised environment, detonators and associated explosive packages are placed at required blast points in a rock mass, and then are fired from a remote control station at predetermined intervals in a fire control programme or sequence with a view to optimise the effectiveness of each blasting sequence.
The detonators and explosive packages will normally be stored on site for future use, and a proper inventory is kept of new supplies, and usage, with a view to controlling authorised usage and hopefully to monitor any unauthorised removal of detonators.